What Is Alcohol Abuse?

 

If you're concerned about yourself or someone close to you, because of heavy drinking, and you're wondering whether this amounts to alcohol abuse, here are a few tips and signs to look out for that will help. Sometimes it's difficult to determine whether a person is simply enjoying some heavy drinking in social situations, or whether they're in need of help for alcohol abuse.

Here are a few of the things to look out for to help you ascertain if it's just fun, or a real problem. If the person feels ashamed or guilty about drinking, or if they lie about how much they've had to drink, or whether they've had a drink, there may be cause for concern. A person who finds that they need to have alcohol in order to feel better, and those who find they can't relax without having a drink are also possibly in need of help.

Certainly, black-outs and forgetting what you did when you were drunk are signs of alcohol abuse, and if they happen regularly, it's important to seek professional advice.

Another common issue is drinking more than you mean to. If you find you're regularly ending up drinking a lot more than you intended to drink, you may have a problem. Some of the more serious signs of alcohol abuse are cause for more concern. If you find you are regularly breaking the law as a result of your drinking, or you are finding yourself in potentially dangerous situations when you've been drinking, it's important to act immediately in seeking help. Other areas of concern are neglecting responsibilities because of alcohol, and continuing to drink heavily even though it is disrupting your life.

The rule of thumb is: if you feel any concern at all, or have any doubts about the drinking of yourself or a loved one, seek help immediately. It’ll either give you peace of mind that there isn't a problem, or it will give you the help you need.